


The Coming of the Dawn

by Lady_Charella



Series: Between the Sand and Stone [1]
Category: Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Family Feels, Gen, Happy Ending, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-11
Updated: 2014-07-11
Packaged: 2018-02-08 08:40:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1934238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Charella/pseuds/Lady_Charella
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part One of a series revolving around Thor and Loki. This takes place right after the war in which Odin returns to Asgard with baby Loki, focusing on how Frigga dealt with the new addition to the family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Coming of the Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> Quick note: This story does contain a very minor OC. I'm sorry, but it flows better if the lady is named.

The knock that sounded on the wooden door of the nursery was urgent, demanding of an immediate audience. “My Queen?”

Frigga looked up from where she was crouched next to Thor, building miniature castles out of blocks. She had relieved her poor, stressed handmaiden for a day and was watching over Thor herself. Thor had been beyond thrilled to have his mother all to himself for the day, and they had played a great many games together already. Frigga frowned at the abrupt attitude of the messenger and smoothed a hand over Thor’s blond hair as she stood up, quieting the child’s protests at losing his mother’s attention. If Thor wasn’t soothed quickly, more often than not the entire castle heard of his anger. “What is the meaning of this?” she demanded, probably a little too angrily, but her patience these days was quickly running thin.

The messenger bowed, at least having the decency to look apologetic. “The army returns to Asgard, my Queen.”

Frigga felt her heart start to race; her hands fluttering up to cover her mouth in surprise before she could stop them. That was news she wasn’t expecting. It had been so long since Odin set out to stop the Frost Giants, and the news that had trickled back to the palace had not been encouraging. There were many casualties on both sides, and it was a long, bitter war. But, now, finally, Odin was returning to her. She could barely keep the smile off of her face as she thanked the messenger, anger at his intrusion already forgotten, and reached down to scoop Thor into her arms. Thor whined a protest as she all but ran from the room, leaving his many toys abandoned carelessly on the floor.

“Mama, I wasn’t finished!” There were going to be tears following that statement.

Frigga squeezed him tightly in reassurance. “We will finish later, darling. Your father has come home. We’re going to greet him!”

She couldn’t keep the breathless wonder from her voice no matter how hard she tried. That lapsed Thor into silence. He had been so little when Odin had left. Seeing his father had become one of those things he learned wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, so he quit asking. Thor’s arms looped around her neck, holding securely as they made their way outside, Frigga moving through the halls as quickly as possible. The army was just entering the courtyard when they arrived, and Frigga faltered in her pace, anguish constricting her chest. There were so few to return. She found Odin almost instantly and met his gaze. Her heart lurched at the crude bandage covering one of his eyes. But, it didn’t matter. He was alive. Thor was absolutely silent in her arms as Odin made his way toward her, holding his red cape in an awkward bundle against his chest, probably hiding another injury. She felt another smile break out across her face as he reached her, though this one was infinitely more sad, embracing her as best he could while she was holding Thor. “You’ve returned.”

Odin pressed a kiss to her cheek, and Thor’s forehead, as the boy tried to cling to his father. “Frigga, we must talk inside in private,” Odin murmured urgently, voice weary.

She frowned, touching the bandage on his face with light fingertips. She wasn’t expecting that to be the first words from his lips on his return. “Are you well? The healers…”

“There’s nothing to be done about that,” he dismissed, taking her arm and leading her back inside.

Frigga’s frown deepened as he all but marched her briskly away, his grip on her arm all but bruising. This wasn’t at all the reunion she had imagined. “Odin…”

“Hush, I’ll explain.”

The servants rushed to clear out of the way in time, bowing to them as they did so. Odin drew her to their chambers, shutting the door securely behind them. Whatever it was, it was terribly important. She sat Thor on his feet and shooed him back to his blocks. He went happily.

“Are we in danger?” she asked, expression tight.

“Nay!” Odin protested before shifting his cloak. She watched in muted horror as he revealed a baby. Green eyes. Dark hair. The baby looked at her curiously and cooed softly, bringing its thumb up to suck on.

“Odin.” She had no words. A baby? She tore her eyes away from the child to look at her husband.

His expression was troubled, as if he knew he had done something he shouldn’t have, but couldn’t help himself. Funny, how Thor already at his tender age had mastered that expression. “I’m going to ask something of you,” Odin admitted. “He’s Laufey’s son. He was abandoned. He was going to die. Still might.”

“Laufey’s son?” Frigga choked out in disbelief, drawing back away from the baby instinctively. “He doesn’t look like a frost giant’s baby.”

“He’s already very powerful. Shape-shifted the moment I touched him. I placed a spell upon him, so he can hold this form until he’s powerful enough to do so on his own.”

She drew away another step, more alarmed. She was impressed with herself for remaining calm so far. “What do you expect to do with him?”

“Raise him alongside Thor.”

“Are you out of your mind?!” She hadn’t meant to raise her voice, but Odin had said it so casually. The baby’s eyes were drawn back to her. Innocent, blinking slowly as if they were keeping him from a nap. He looked just like any other baby.

“Frigga, he might not make it,” Odin admitted softly. “There are a great many possibilities for why he was abandoned, but I could not leave him to a slow death or worse kill him myself,” He looked down at the child in his arms with the amount of affection she usually saw him give Thor. She felt a shudder crawl up her spine. How had her husband become attached to this baby already? “So much blood has been spilled in this war, and he knows nothing of evil. He does not deserve to die.”

She forced her voice to return to a normal tone, crossing her arms in front of her chest in an unconscious attempt to distance herself from them. “Who knows you took him?”

“No one,” Odin answered. “And, it must remain that way for his safety. He will bear the Odinson name, born in secrecy during the war.” Odin shifted the baby carefully, and the baby’s face scrunched up, on the verge of screaming his disapproval at the sudden change. “One of your handmaidens must know. Who can we trust?”

“Charella,” she answered without hesitation.

Odin nodded in approval. “Send her for formula. If we want any hope of him surviving, we have to get food in him immediately.”

Frigga turned away to summon Charella, knowing her opinion on this no longer mattered. Odin had made his decision long before he had come to ask her for her approval.

Charella took the situation in stride, remarkably. Odin looked relieved to hand his bundle off to more capable hands. Frigga paced as Odin disappeared to bathe and change, keeping one eye on Charella and the new baby. Thor was still happily playing, fiercely pitting his toy soldiers against one another, not having the slightest clue that his family was in an upheaval. Charella approached her tentatively some time later. “He will eat no more. He’s very quiet.” She pressed her lips together, unwilling to add, “Unwell.”

Frigga nodded curtly, dismissing her concern. “I may need you through the night.”

“Of course, my Queen.” Charella held the baby out to her, and Frigga visibly hesitated. She had yet to agree to this, and it did not sit well with her to be holding a Frost Giant’s offspring.

“My Queen?” Charella didn’t know the whole truth, only that the baby was found during the war.

Frigga took a deep breath and took the baby gingerly, holding him stiffly in her arms, not at all like she had once cradled Thor. “Thank you, Charella. You are invaluable.”

Charella curtsied before excusing herself from the room. Frigga crossed the room to place him in the crib, relieved to be free of him. He opened his eyes as she made him comfortable under the blankets and raised a tiny hand in her direction, fingers opening and closing. She backed away swiftly to tend to Thor. It was well passed his bed time. Predictably, Thor begged to sleep with her and Odin to which she agreed without much argument. Odin was already settling into the large bed, Thor at his side. He reached for her, concern prominent on his weary features.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

The baby was fussing quietly. Not at all like Thor used to. Thor used to scream loudly enough to wake the entire palace.

“Yes. Get some rest. We can talk more on the morrow.”

She climbed into bed as well, but couldn’t sleep with the baby fussing. Some part of her was telling her she was terrible for not doing something about it. She watched the crib for a long time, indecision curling in her stomach. He fell silent eventually, and she felt her chest constrict sharply. She was on her feet, moving over to the crib before she knew it. Emerald eyes looked hopefully up at her, and she let out a relieved sigh. Still alive. She should probably send Charella for more food. He was reaching for her again. What if he really wasn’t going to survive, and she was denying him all comfort? What child should not know a mother’s love? She picked him up, moving to her rocking chair before she could think about the decision twice. She rocked him for hours into the morning, pausing only to feed him, and he slept soundly cradled against her chest. She watched light dawn over Asgard, startling out of her trance when she felt Odin’s hands on her shoulders as he bent down to kiss the top of her head.

“How does he fare?” he asked in a hushed voice.

“He’s stronger than he looks,” Frigga answered before correcting Odin. “Loki.”

“Hm?”

“His name is Loki.” Odin kissed her head again before he drew away to request food be brought. Frigga glanced over at Thor still sleeping on their bed, then back to the baby in her arms. With the coming of the dawn, their lives had just changed forever. She began to hum, continuing her rocking.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! This story is a part of a large series that I have mostly all outlined. The series will continue through Thor and Loki's lives clear through the movies. I know the movie verse well, but I do not know the comics at all, and only a little of Norse Mythology. If there is any interest, I will continue to upload more. Thank you for reading and comments are always appreciated!


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